Waterford Adams Elementary School students practice tornado drill so 'they would understand'

Kindergarten students take cover during a tornado drill at Adams Elementary School in Waterford, Tuesday May 21, 2013. It took 1 minute 5 seconds for all 420 students and teachers to get to designated areas and to properly take cover. (Oakland Press Photo:Vaughn Gurganian)

The Oakland Press/VAUGHN GURGANIAN
Students and teachers take cover during a tornado drill at Adams Elementary School in Waterford, Tuesday. It took 1 minute 5 seconds for all 420 students and teachers to get to designated areas and to properly take cover.

Out at Adams Elementary School Tuesday, students in the Waterford school practiced a tornado drill by moving to a secure, interior room near their classroom.

They crouched on the floor, covered their heads with their hands and faced a windowless wall.

"We practice so, God forbid, if we would need to do this, they would understand," said Principal Lynn Bigelman, who oversees the K-5 school on Clintonville Road.

"We want them very comfortable and relaxed about it."

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But tornadoes aren't the major threat in Michigan as they are in the middle of the U.S.

Michigan averages 16 a year, while Oklahoma has 64, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Students who endured Monday's massive tornado in Moore, Okla., in suburban Oklahoma City did not have safe rooms.

Albert Ashwood, director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, told reporters Tuesday it's up to each jurisdiction to set priorities for which schools get limited funding for safe rooms.

At press time, seven children sheltering in above-ground classrooms were killed.

The tornado destroyed Plaza Towers and Briarwood elementary schools, and flattened neighborhoods with winds up to 200 miles an hour. The National Weather Service issued a preliminary ranking of the twister as an EF5, the second-most-powerful classification.

When schools plan disaster drills, staff are urged to keep in mind that flying debris is the biggest tornado hazard, and that people need to put as many walls as possible between themselves and the tornado, steering clear of windows, doors and walls of glass.

Michigan schools must hold two tornado drills a year, said officials.

Holly Schools students have gone into actual severe weather mode once in the past two years, recalled Dave Nuss, assistant superintendent.

"We are always alert to weather, and err on the side of safety," said Nuss, "understanding we have to be as prepared as possible. We know our most precious gift is the children."

The weather did no damage.

Students at Mott High School in Waterford move to the nearest safe room, and can even seek shelter in the performing arts center's orchestra pit, said Rhonda Lessel, district spokeswoman.

Each teacher is aware where their safe room is during severe weather. Students are not to use gyms because the roofs are susceptible to storm damage.

At the Oakland County government complex in Pontiac, employees donated $1,000 from the employee casual day fund to help the victims recover from the destruction. The money will be donated to the United Way of Central Oklahoma Disaster Relief Fund.

"The devastation and the countless lives lost are heart-wrenching," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. "We hope our donation will provide some relief to families faced with a long recovery and remind them that they are not alone in their hour of need."

How did the Moore, Oklahoma tornado form?

Like the most destructive and deadly tornadoes, this one came from a rotating thunderstorm. The thunderstorm developed in an area where warm moist air rose into cooler air. Winds in the area caused the storm to rotate, and that rotation promoted the development of a tornado. The Oklahoma tornado was on the ground for 40 minutes, traveling 20 miles.

Oklahoma is home to "wedge" tornadoes, more common in Tornado Alley, said Matt Mosteiko, meteorologist with White Lake's National Weather Service.

"The wedge is very wide, from a half-mile to a mile, with a larger area of rotation."

Mosteiko said the air waves coming off the Rockies along with heat and humidity in the Great Plains creates a stronger updraft and a stronger tornado.

The Great Lakes surrounding Michigan stabilize our weather, he said.

Tornadoes arise from very local conditions, and so they're not as influenced by climate change as much as larger weather systems like hurricanes and nor'easters.

This tornado season got off to a quiet start this year. Typically, there are more during spring, and the numbers dwindle in the worst heat of the summer. An unusually cool spring kept the funnel clouds at bay until mid-May this year. The last two seasons illustrate the extremes in tornado activity. In 2011, the United States saw its second-deadliest tornado season. Last year, it was busy in April but there were few twisters after that.

FYI

Relief organizations are on the job working to help Oklahoma victims. Salvation Army donations can be made online at buff.ly/13GkrnE, 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or text STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation. American Red Cross donations can be made to 1-800-RED-CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999. Donations address is P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. www.redcross.org. Habitat for Humanity International donations: 800-Habitat or mail to 270 Peachtree St. NW Suite 1300, Atlanta, GA 30303-1263.

FEMA said donate only through trusted organizations and "don't send goods that haven't been asked for." http://nvoad.org/help

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Carol Hopkins at 248-745-4645 or carol.hopkins@oakpress.com. Follow her on Twitter @OPCarolHopkins or on Facebook @OPcarolhopkins.